greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

tallgirl

Greets,

I sometimes forget this board exists, especially when I'm busy with things that keep me from wasting time on the Interwebs

We've started to ship the greenMonitor Lite, 5 watt network-enabled data logger. The current systems are OutBack only, but we have enough support in the software to produce versions that will support SMA and I should have Morningstar support wrapped up by the end of this month or into October. I'm hoping to put my 60 watt solar array (heh) that I use to recharge my lawn mower on the web some day and it will be running on one of these gadgets.

We have quantity 1 as well as reseller pricing based on initial and projected quantities.

boB

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

This looks pretty neat, Julie !!

So, looks like with the Morningstar support coming, you are going to be doing modbus too. Smart way to go ! It will be more easily compatible with future systems that way.

boB

PS, will this also run off of a 12V DC source ? Didn't look at the power requirements that closely.

mike95490

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

You use POE, where does the power originate? and if using a AC 12V adapter, does it backfeed into the ethernet lines ?

blackswan555

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

If you have a spare FX inverter AUX, you can run it from that.

Tim

tallgirl

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

boB,

Modbus support is close to being done, and if you send me a Classic, I'll get the Classic integrated into the rest of the bunch . I'm hoping to get my hands on a Magnum long enough to add those, too. The Magnum data stream is stupid-simple. I picked up a RS-485 converter from Maverick on Saturday for some other work, I just need a Magnum to snoop the data stream and go from there.

The tough part is going to be figuring out how hard the greenMonitor Lite can be pushed reliably. The two that I have running at the house loaf most of the time, which tells me that I'll be able to keep piling the functionality onto the box. I had Apache + PHP up and running earlier on one, but needed to take it for a road trip to see Maverick and it's not been back on-line since. Other than Modbus, MySQL data push is the next "test" -- here is my current development effort:

http://data.digitalgnomon.com/users/tallgirl/gmSystems.php

That piece of development effort has an upper limit of one heck of a lot of systems. Probably on the order of thousands of systems for a quad core Phenom on 8GB RAM and a phat network pipe. We should talk

Tim was spot-on with the AUX output from an FX. Maverick has used smaller Morningstar charge controllers to keep a 12VDC battery -- like a motorcycle battery -- topped up, but the FX makes 12VDC itself. What would be really cool is for the Classic to include a multi-amp 12VDC supply.

tallgirl

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

Greets,

The box that provides this display is a demo unit that isn't always connected, so this URL won't always work. You will see odd values because I connect and disconnect it on a regular basis, as I take it out for demonstrations.

http://julie-world.mooo.com:8888/gmChart.php

I tried to embedded that URL as an image, but it doesn't look like the forum software allows that

tallgirl

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

I'm getting ready to put together a PentaMetric-only version of the installer so folks who only have a PentaMetric and the RS-232 interface will be able to view their components as components, rather than amps and volts.

Here's the documentation I have right now -- http://www.greenhousepc.com/docs/pentametric.html -- it will be updated further as I make progress on the code.

The short and sweet is this -- the PentaMetric supports up to three shunts. Using a wiring method we developed, you can using this to monitor up to three separate devices -- inverters, charge controllers or separate DC chargers such as the Iota.

For each of the three shunt values, you assign that shunt to a type of device, either an inverter or a charge controller. The software then accumulates all of the appropriate status information, producing real-time data, reports, charts, etc. I'm using an engineering loaner Ralph was kind enough to provide to monitor a Morningstar SS-MPPT-15 and a crappy Wagan 1000 watt MSW inverter.

As with all our products, you're able to view the data over the internet -- even if you don't have the Ethernet interface from Bogart Engineering.

And it does all of that in a box that consumes about 5 watts.

Pricing will be the same at $359 plus shipping and handling.

Maverick and I haven't had a chance to sit down and work on the Morningstar support, and I owe him PentaMetric support, so the MS device support gets to wait just a little bit longer.

tallgirl

Frequency Measurement support news

Greets,

As I work to push the next release -- 1.00.9 -- out the door, I've been frantically documenting everything. The one item that I suspect many off-grid / remote-system folks would like to see is how we support the Watts Up? Meters devices. Here's the first draft of that -- http://www.greenhousepc.com/docs/sc20.html

Somewhere around here should be a link to my system you can view on a phone. One of the several meters I have is associated with the Master inverter (port 1 on the hub). Click on "1", then the inverter name to get the device configuration, and then the frequency meter is at the bottom. Click on it and you can watch ERCOT at work ...

tallgirl

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

Ralph Hiesey with Bogart Engineering and I were having a discussion about Things People Want From a PentaMetric, and I mentioned that I have support for 4-20 milliamp current loop AC transducers.

With a PentaMetric and a greenMonitor Lite, you can monitor charge controller input, inverter DC input and output =and= using something like a Veris Industries Hawkeye, you can also measure AC current 8) To round out all of your monitoring needs, you could also add a Watts Up? Meters Watts Up? .Net or Smart Circuit 20 to provide frequency information to keep an eye on your generator's output during charging.

moorsb

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

I do not understand how you do 6 devices on rs232.
Usually you need rs485. Have you thought about doing Telnet connections ?
You can buy rs232 to ethernet adapters and do a telnet connection to the device over ethernet.
Are you going to implement modbus tcp or just plain modbus?
I like the amount of storage.

tallgirl

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

The OutBack products that are supported communicate with the greenMonitor Lite through the Mate display controller. The connection from the greenMonitor Lite to the Mate is via RS-232.

We don't have device count limitation values for non-OutBack equipment just yet because non-OutBack equipment isn't supported out-of-the-box for the greenMonitor Lite. When you put software into a metal box with no keyboard, mouse or video connector, it has to be much more reliable, and much more fool-proof, than when a person can tell you how it is misbehaving.

And yes, the memory is a nice feature. With the ability to store several years of data, and remove data from the data logger as it fills up, it's a very flexible device. Many comparable products either delete files without your permission after a fixed period of time, or just plain don't store that much data.

tallgirl

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

Morningstar Modbus-based productization is wrapping up. The initial release supports dynamic configuration of SunSaver MPPT charge controllers, SureSine inverters and the Relay Driver. The bigger charge controllers will be finished as soon as I get my hands on them and make sure the device drivers work. Throw in a PentaMetric with the RS-232 interface, and you will be able to do such things as SOC-based generator control.

With the built-in web interface, you'll have complete access to all your real-time and historical data, as well as the ability to control any relays you might have supported via an attached Relay Driver.

The last of the missing Modbus device drivers were cleaned up yesterday --

Copyright(c) 2007-2010, greenHouse Computers
This is licensed software.
PentaMetric: Loading device support.
PentaMetric: 'COM4:,disable3,base3=8.71,mult3=0.189'
Modbus 1 on device COM9
Modbus: Polling bus 1 (Limit 10)
Modbus: Adding unit 1 to bus 1
Bus 1, Unit 1: SS-MPPT-15L (Morningstar Corp.)
Modbus: Unit 1: Dynamically loading 'Morningstar.MS_SSMPPT'
Started Unit 1
Vendor: Morningstar Corp.
Model: SS-MPPT-15L
Serial: 10220519
Modbus 2 on device COM10
Modbus: Polling bus 2 (Limit 10)
Modbus: Adding unit 9 to bus 2
Bus 2, Unit 9: Relay Module (Morningstar Corp.)
Modbus: Unit 9: Dynamically loading 'Morningstar.MSRelayDriver'
Started Unit 9
Vendor: Morningstar Corp.
Model: Relay Module
Serial: 08400443
APRS: Scanning for supported devices.
APRS: Loading device 1

with support for multiple Modbus busses along with the PentaMetric and an APRS World Wind Data logger providing battery status and environmental sensors.

Windsun

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

tallgirl wrote: »

Ralph Hiesey with Bogart Engineering and I were having a discussion about Things People Want From a PentaMetric, and I mentioned that I have support for 4-20 milliamp current loop AC transducers.

Not sure what you mean by AC transducers, all 4-20 ma is DC (it is basically 1-5 volts accross a 250 ohm resistor). There are many tupes, some convert 4-20 into digital, some are the reverse, with all sorts of varieties inbetween.

Or do you mean getting the 4-20 output from AC power transducers? Most of those are limited - at least at a reasonable price. The voltage part is easy, but for current you usually need to use a CT.

tallgirl

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

Windsun wrote: »

Not sure what you mean by AC transducers, all 4-20 ma is DC (it is basically 1-5 volts accross a 250 ohm resistor). There are many tupes, some convert 4-20 into digital, some are the reverse, with all sorts of varieties inbetween.

Or do you mean getting the 4-20 output from AC power transducers? Most of those are limited - at least at a reasonable price. The voltage part is easy, but for current you usually need to use a CT.

Yes, those AC transducers (there are Hall-Effect 4-20ma devices as well that measure DC) are what's supported with an APRS World logger providing the A/D conversion. For applications that don't require the sensors that are more common with the APRS World, we'll have Phidgets 8/8/8 support next year and perhaps we'll also manufacture our own multi-channel A/D board. (Assuming someone infuses my life with a large pile of $$$'s ...)

niel

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

"(Assuming someone infuses my life with a large pile of $$$'s ...)"

we'd all like for that to happen, but just make sure you don't ask for it here.

tallgirl

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

niel wrote: »

"(Assuming someone infuses my life with a large pile of $$$'s ...)"

we'd all like for that to happen, but just make sure you don't ask for it here.

The pile of money I'm looking for is entirely too large to ask for here Or more likely, if I did ask, the replies wouldn't be pretty.

And apropos the actual post, documentation for the AC sensor support is published here.

Oh, and the latest goodies from Morningstar also arrived and the device drivers will be tested just as soon as I take a rack mount server to my new ISP for colocation ...

tallgirl

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

Some people question my electrical skills, but few question my programming ones -- Morningstar TriStar MPPT support booted the first time out of the box!

Modbus 1 on device COM9
Modbus: Polling bus 1 (Limit 10)
Modbus: Adding unit 1 to bus 1
Bus 1, Unit 1: TS-MPPT-60 (Morningstar Corp.)
Modbus: Unit 1: Dynamically loading 'Morningstar.MS_TS45_60'
Started Unit 1
Vendor: Morningstar Corp.
Model: TS-MPPT-60
Serial: 10120415

Now that I have one up and running, I'm going to see what all can be done with it. Right now it has a somewhat basic level of support, but I expect to be able to make it do tricks before long.

(Forgot this one -- SunSaver Duo. A really slick dual-battery charge controller for RV applications where the array is also used to maintain the charge on the vehicle battery.)

Modbus: Polling bus 1 (Limit 16)
Modbus: Adding unit 1 to bus 1
Bus 1, Unit 1: SSDuo (Morningstar Corp.)
Modbus: Unit 1: Dynamically loading 'Morningstar.MS_SSDuo'
Started Unit 1
Vendor: Morningstar Corp.
Model: SSDuo
Serial: 09190153

Solar Guppy

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

Julie,

Reading and graphing the sweep data is a very neat data-set you can extract that no other controller on the market has.

SG

tallgirl

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

Solar Guppy wrote: »

Julie,

Reading and graphing the sweep data is a very neat data-set you can extract that no other controller on the market has.

SG

I think the Mystery Charge Controller from NightTimeClassicMysteries also has that feature. The Modbus map reads like War and Peace.

But yeah, I was surprised to see that data in the Modbus registers. Was that your handiwork?

Solar Guppy

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

tallgirl wrote: »

I think the Mystery Charge Controller from NightTimeClassicMysteries also has that feature. The Modbus map reads like War and Peace.

But yeah, I was surprised to see that data in the Modbus registers. Was that your handiwork?

I was involved in TSMPPT, but the curve-tracer like sweeping was not my work.

tallgirl

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

Solar Guppy wrote: »

I was involved in TSMPPT, but the curve-tracer like sweeping was not my work.

Cool.

I'm really impressed by the flexibility of the MS charge controllers. I'm underwhelmed by their inverters, but their charge controllers are definitely neat and some of the other components, such as the Relay Module, are to die for.

niel

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

my opinion is they make good stuff, but they decided to nickle dime people on everything else for it. you could easily wind up with $700-$800 with all the little add ons that many are standard on many other controllers

tallgirl

Re: greenMonitor Lite 5 watt network data logger

niel wrote: »

my opinion is they make good stuff, but they decided to nickle dime people on everything else for it. you could easily wind up with $700-$800 with all the little add ons that many are standard on many other controllers

Yup, that's very much the case. I am working on documenting how to avoid all those little doodads because some of their products are very useful to my clients.

Four relays? You mean I can control four relays?

Boggles some people's minds.

tallgirl

WattNode support finalized.

For those of y'all in need of a three-phase (it'll do 120/240 single phase, but that's boring) watt-hour meter, the release that supports the Continental Control Systems "WattNode" is now shipping.

As soon as I can make the needed LAN connections at home, I'll have one live on the Internet.